Active case for emergency exit bolt

ABSTRACT

An emergency exit bolt assembly for mounting on the inner surface of a door includes active and inactive cases supporting a pair of pivoted levers connected by a horizontal panic bar. A slide supported for movement in the active case imparts rotary motion to a hub associated therewith when the panic bar is depressed. The hub is journalled in an alignment compensator entrapped in a space between the backplate of the active case and the inner surface of the door and arranged for limited movement relative thereto to compensate for misalignment of the drive connection between the active case hub and another hub associated with a mortise latch unit mounted in a mortise opening in the edge of the door. In one position, the slide cooperates with the active case hub to maintain it in a predetermined angular position to facilitate connection of the drive shaft between the active case hub and the other hub on the latch unit during installation on a door.

United States Patent 1191 Balducci [451 July 15,1975

Primary Examiner-Richard E. Moore Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McCorrnick, Paulding & Huber [57] ABSTRACT An emergency exit bolt assembly for mounting on the inner surface of a door includes active and inactive cases supporting a pair of pivoted levers connected by a horizontal panic bar. A slide supported for movement in the active case imparts rotary motion to a hub associated therewith when the panic bar is depressed. The hub is journalled in an alignment compensator entrapped in a space between the backplate of the active case and the inner surface of the door and arranged for limited movement relative thereto to compensate for misalignment of the drive connection between the active case hub and another hub associated with a mortise latch unit mounted in a mortise opening in the edge of the door. In one position, the slide cooperates with the active case hub to maintain it in a predetermined angular position to facilitate connection of the drive shaft between the active case hub and the other hub on the latch unit during installation on a door.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PMEVTFDJUL 15 1975 SHEET FIG. 2

ACTIVE CASE FOR EMERGENCY EXIT BOLT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to emergency exit bolt assemblies and deals more particularly with an active case for such a bolt assembly having a mortise function.

In an emergency exit bolt assembly of the aforedescribed general type, wherein the active case includes a rotary part or hub drivingly connected by a stub shaft to a hub on an associated mortise latch mechanism mounted in the edge of the door, it has been essential that the hub on the active case be precisely coaxially aligned with the hub on the mortise latch mechanism when the active case is mounted on the face of the door. Even slight misalignment between the two hubs may cause binding and generally unsatisfactory operation when a panic bar, paddle or other operator associated with the active case is operated to retract the latch bolt. Heretofore, considerable skill has been required to attain the precise degree of alignment required to assure smooth functioning of the latch mechanism. A further troublesome problem was also frequently encountered during installation in attaining proper angular alignment between the non-circular openings in the respective hubs on the mortise latch unit mounted in the door and the active case to be mounted on the surface of the door, drive connection between the two hubs being established by a stub shaft.

It is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly wherein means is provided to compensate for any slight misalignment which may occur between the active case and an associated mortise latch unit during installation. A further aim of the invention is to provide means for maintaining the non-circular opening in the hub associated with the active case in a predetermined angular position prior to installation to facilitate establishment of drive connection between the active case and an associated mortise latch unit mounted in the door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, an improved active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly is provided which has a frame assembly which includes a backplate and a movable slide. A hub alignment compensator which provides a floating journal for a hub driven by the slide is supported on the frame assembly for limited angular movement relative to the backplate about axes which extend in directions generally normal to the hub axis. The active case may also include means for maintaining the hub thereof in a predetermined angular position relative to its axis of rotation prior to assembly with an associated door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of an emergency exit bolt which includes an active case embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged exploded fragmentary side elevational view of the active case and mortise latch unit of FIG. 1, the cover and top casting of the active case shown broken away to reveal mechanism therein.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the backplate assembly of the active case.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the backplate assembly of FIG. 4.

F IG. 6 is a front elevational view of the hub and alignmerit compensator.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawings, an emergency exit bolt assembly embodying the present invention and indicated generally by the numeral 10 in FIG. 1 is shown mounted in operating position on the inner face of an outwardly opening door. The bolt assembly 10 has an active case embodying the present invention and indicated generally at 12 and also includes an inactive case 14. Levers l6 and 18 respectively, pivotally mounted on the active and inactive cases. support a horizontal panic bar 20 for pivotal movement toward and away from the door between the projected and depressed positions. The active case 12 houses operating mechanism for actuating a mortise latch unit 22 to retract a latch bolt 24. More specifically, and referring now to FIG. 2, the operating mechanism associated with the active case 12 imparts rotary motion to a hub indicated generally at 26 in response to depression of the panic bar 20. The hub 26 is drivingly connected to another hub 28 associated with the mortise latch unit 22 by a stub shaft 30 of non-circular and preferably square cross section. In accordance with the present invention. the active case 12 includes an alignment compensator designated generally by the numeral 32 which provides a floating journal for the hub 26 to compensate for any slight misalignment between the hubs 26 and 28 when the latch bolt assembly 10 is installed on an associated door.

Considering the active case 12 in further detail, it includes a frame or backplate assembly generally at 34 and a cover assembly designated generally by the numeral 36 and releasably secured to the backplate assembly by fasteners (not shown). The cover assembly 36 includes a top casting 38 and a decorative cover 40. The lever 16 is supported on a pivot shaft 42 mounted on the top casting 38 for pivotal movement between projected and depressed positions respectively indicated by full and broken lines in FIG. 2. At its inner end, the lever 16 has a finger 44. A roll pin 46 carried by the lever is engageable with the top casting 38 to limit counterclockwise pivotal movement of the lever toward its projected or full line position in FIG. 2.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2-5, and further considering the backplate assembly 34, it includes a backplate 46 which defines a rearwardly facing mounting surface 48 for engaging a face of an associated door. The backplate 46 has a shallow rearwardly opening recess 50 therein. A generally cylindrical bore 52 through the backplate defines a circular opening which communicates with the recess 50. A rearwardly facing annular bearing surface 54, disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the mounting surface 48, surrounds the latter opening, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. Integral bosses or mounting brackets 56 and 58 project forwardly from the backplate to support a pair of spaced vertically extending parallel guide rods 60, 60. The backplate assembly 34 further includes an operating member or generally rectangular slide 62 slidably supported on the guide rods 60, 60 for limited vertical sliding movement between first and second positions respectively indicated by full and broken lines in FIG. 4. The slide has a downwardly facing abutment surface 64 thereon and a pair of vertically spaced lugs 66 and 68 which project rearwardly therefrom and respectively define opposing horizontally disposed abutment surfaces 70 and 72. A cylindrical plastic sleeve received on one of the guide rods 60 between the lower mounting bracket 56 and the slide 62 limits the downward travel of the slide and supports it in its first position relative to the backplate prior to installation.

The hub 26 and the compensator 32 comprise a subassembly, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The hub includes a generally cylindrical body portion 74 which has a noncircular opening 76 extending coaxially therethrough. Preferably, and as shown, the opening 76 has a square cross section to receive and complement an associated portion of the stub shaft 30. A cam 78 which has a hook shaped outer end portion is mounted in fixed position to one end of the body portion 74 and extends radially outwardly therefrom. The compensator 32 comprises a generally circular plate which includes a generally cylindrical body portion 80, the diameter of which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the circular opening 52 in the backplate 46. An integral annular flange 82 surrounds the body portion 80 and has a forwardly facing annular abutment surface 84 thereon. A flanged bushing insert 86 received within a coaxial bore in the compensator 32 provides a journal for the hub 26 received and supported therein.

The compensator 32 is received within the recess 50 and supports the hub 26 on the backplate assembly 34, the body portion 80 being received within the circular opening 52. The annular abutment surface 84 on the compensator is adapted to engage the annular bearing surface 54 on the backplate. However, it should be noted that the distance between the mounting surface 48 and the annular bearing surface 54 is somewhat greater than the thickness of the annular flange 82, as measured in an axial direction. In assembly, the hookshaped end portion of the cam 78 is disposed generally between the abutment surfaces 70 and 72 respectively defined by the lugs 66 and 68 on the slide 62. A pin 88 mounted on the backplate 46 cooperates with the cam 78 to limit its counterclockwise rotation from its position shown in FIG. 4, and thereby prevents the cam from escaping from its position between the abutment surfaces 70 and 72 prior to assembly with a door. The compensator and hub is or may be maintained in assembly with the backplate by strips of tape (not shown) applied to the backplate and extending across the compensator.

ln assembling the emergency exit bolt assembly 10 with an associated door, the mortise latch unit 22 is first mounted within an associated mortise opening formed in the edge of the door. When the mortise unit 22 has been installed, the hub 28 thereof is transversely aligned with a bore in the door which intersects the mortise opening therein. When the latchbolt 24 is in its projected position, the square bore in the hub 28 is exposed with the latter in the door and normally assumes a diamond position. Considering now the active case 12 and referring again to FIG. 4, it will be noted that when the slide 62 is in its first position, the abutment surfaces 70 and 72 thereon cooperate with the cam 78 to retain the hub 26 in a predetermined position wherein its square bore 76 assumes a diamond position as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thus, during assembly of the active case with the door, if the latchbolt 24 is maintained in its projected position and the slide 62 is maintained in its first position, the bores in the hubs 26 and 28 will be in general angular alignment to receive respective end portions of the stub shaft 30 when the active case is mounted on the inner face of the door.

In mounting the active case 12 on the door, effort is, of course, made to maintain the hubs 26 and 28 in coaxial alignment. However, if the active case 12 should be mounted so that slight misalignment occurs between the hubs 26 and 28, the compensator 32 will function to compensate for this condition of misalignment. The compensator 32 which is entrapped between the backplate 46 and an associated portion of the inner face of the door is free to move slightly within the recess 50 and relative to the backplate as indicated by the broken line position of the compensator 32 shown in FIG. 2, so that the hub 26 may pivot about axes which extend in directions generally normal to its axis of rotation. More specifically, the compensator 32 may pivot on the annular bearing surface 54 and about an axis tangent to the peripheral edge of the annular abutment surface 84.

When the slide 62 is raised or moved from its first position toward its second position in response to depression of the lever 16, the cam 78 imparts rotation to the hub 26. If the hubs 26 and 28 are precisely coaxially aligned, the two hubs will rotate in coaxial alignment, however, if a slight condition of misalignment exists therebetween, the hub 26 is free to wobble slightly with the compensator 32 and relative to the backplate 46, and in the manner generally aforedescribed, due to the floating support provided by the compensator. This arrangement permits the active case mechanism to function smoothly and without binding even where a condition of slight misalignment exists between the active case and an associated mortise latch mechanism operated thereby.

I claim:

1. in an active case for an emergency exit bolt having a frame assembly including a backplate having a rear wall defining a mounting surface for engaging an associated face of a door when said active case is assembled with the door, a slide, means supporting said slide on said frame assembly for sliding movement in one and an opposite direction, a hub, and means for rotating said hub in response to movement of said slide in at least one direction, the improvement comprising said rear wall having a recess therein opening through said mounting surface, a hub alignment compensator providing a journal for said hub, and means for supporting said alignment compensator within said recess for limited angular movement relative to said backplate about axes extending in directions generally normal to the axis of said hub, said alignment compensator being retained in said recess by cooperation of said backplate and an associated face of the door when said active case is mounted thereon.

2. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 1 the combination wherein said backplate has a circular opening therethrough communicating with said recess and a rearwardly facing annular bearing surface surrounding said opening within said recess, said alignment compensator comprises a generally circular plate including a body portion received in said opening and having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of said opening and an annular flange coaxially surrounding said body portion and having a forwardly facing abutment surface for general engagement with said bearing surface, and said body portion and said flange comprise said means for supporting said alignment compensator.

3. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt as set forth in claim 2, the combination wherein said bearing surface is disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said mounting surface and the distance from said bearing surface to said mounting surface is greater than the axial thickness of said annular flange.

4. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 3, the combination wherein said means for rotating said hub comprises a cam carried by said hub and engageable with an associated part of said slide.

5. in an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 2, the combination wherein said alignment compensator includes a bushing insert coaxially received in said plate and providing said journal for said hub.

6. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 5, the combination wherein said slide is supported for movement in one and an opposite direction between first and second positions relative to said frame, said hub has a non-circular opening therein, said means for rotating said hub comprises a cam carried by said hub and engageable with an associated part of said slide to rotate said hub in response to the movement of said slide from said first to said second position, and said slide has another part which cooperates with said associated part and said cam to generally retain said hub in a predetermined position relative to said backplate when said slide is in its first position.

7. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 6, the combination wherein said associated part and said other part define spaced apart abutments on said slide which receive an associated portion of said cam therebetween.

8. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt as set forth in claim 7, the combination wherein said associated part and said other part comprise lugs projecting from said slide.

9. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt having a frame assembly including a backplate, a slide, means supporting said slide on said frame assembly for sliding movement in one and an opposite direction between first and second positions relative to said frame assembly, a hub having a non-circular opening therein, a cam carried by said hub and engageable with an associated part of said slide to rotate said hub in response to movement of said slide from said first to said second position, the improvement comprising a hub alignment compensator providing a journal for said hub means for supporting said alignment compensator for limited angular movement relative to said backplate about axes extending in directions generally normal to the axis of said hub, said slide having another part which cooperates with said associated part and said cam to generally retain said hub in a predetermined position relative to said backplate when said slide is in its first position.

10. An active case for an emergency exit bolt having a frame assembly including a backplate having a rearwardly facing mounting surface for engaging an associated face of a door when said active case is assembled with the door, said backplate having a circular opening therethrough and an annular bearing surface surrounding said opening, an operating member, means supporting said operating member on said frame assembly for movement in one and an opposite direction, a circular hub alignment compensator plate including a generally cylindrical body portion received within said circular opening and having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of said circular opening, said compensator plate having an annular flange coaxially surrounding said body portion and defining an abutment surface for general engagement with said bearing surface, said compensator plate having a coaxial bore therethrough, said body portion and said flange comprising means for supporting said alignment compensator on said backplate for limited angular movement about axes extending in directions generally normal to the axis of said compensator plate, a hub coaxially journalled in said bore, and means for rotating said hub in response to movement of said operating member in at least one direction.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said backplate has a recess therein opening through said mounting surface, said compensator plate is received in said recess and retained therein by cooperation of said backplate and the associated face of the door when said active case is mounted thereon.

l l i 

1. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt having a frame assembly including a backplate having a rear wall defining a mounting surface for engaging an associated face of a door when said active case is assembled with the door, a slide, means supporting said slide on said frame assembly for sliding movement in one and an opposite direction, a hub, and means for rotating said hub in response to movement of said slide in at least one direction, the improvement comprising said rear wall having a recess therein opening through said mounting surface, a hub alignment compensator providing a journal for said hub, and means for supporting said alignment compensator within said recess for limited angular movement relative to said backplate about axes extending in directions generally normal to the axis of said hub, said alignment compensator being retained in said recess by cooperation of said backplate and an associated face of the door when said active case is mounted thereon.
 2. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 1 the combination wherein said backplate has a circular opening therethrough communicating with said recess and a rearwardly facing annular bearing surface surrounding said opening within said recess, said alignment compensator comprises a generally circular plate including a body portion received in said opening and having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of said opening and an annular flange coaxially surrounding said body portion and having a forwardly facing abutment surface for general engagement with said bearing surface, and said body portion and said flange comprise said means for supporting said alignment compensator.
 3. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt as set forth in claim 2, the combination wherein said bearing surface is disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said mounting surface and the distance from said bearing surface to said mounting surface is greater than the axial thickness of said annular flange.
 4. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 3, the combination wherein said means for rotating said hub comprises a cam carried by said hub and engageable with an associated part of said slide.
 5. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 2, the combination wherein saId alignment compensator includes a bushing insert coaxially received in said plate and providing said journal for said hub.
 6. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 5, the combination wherein said slide is supported for movement in one and an opposite direction between first and second positions relative to said frame, said hub has a non-circular opening therein, said means for rotating said hub comprises a cam carried by said hub and engageable with an associated part of said slide to rotate said hub in response to the movement of said slide from said first to said second position, and said slide has another part which cooperates with said associated part and said cam to generally retain said hub in a predetermined position relative to said backplate when said slide is in its first position.
 7. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt assembly as set forth in claim 6, the combination wherein said associated part and said other part define spaced apart abutments on said slide which receive an associated portion of said cam therebetween.
 8. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt as set forth in claim 7, the combination wherein said associated part and said other part comprise lugs projecting from said slide.
 9. In an active case for an emergency exit bolt having a frame assembly including a backplate, a slide, means supporting said slide on said frame assembly for sliding movement in one and an opposite direction between first and second positions relative to said frame assembly, a hub having a non-circular opening therein, a cam carried by said hub and engageable with an associated part of said slide to rotate said hub in response to movement of said slide from said first to said second position, the improvement comprising a hub alignment compensator providing a journal for said hub means for supporting said alignment compensator for limited angular movement relative to said backplate about axes extending in directions generally normal to the axis of said hub, said slide having another part which cooperates with said associated part and said cam to generally retain said hub in a predetermined position relative to said backplate when said slide is in its first position.
 10. An active case for an emergency exit bolt having a frame assembly including a backplate having a rearwardly facing mounting surface for engaging an associated face of a door when said active case is assembled with the door, said backplate having a circular opening therethrough and an annular bearing surface surrounding said opening, an operating member, means supporting said operating member on said frame assembly for movement in one and an opposite direction, a circular hub alignment compensator plate including a generally cylindrical body portion received within said circular opening and having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of said circular opening, said compensator plate having an annular flange coaxially surrounding said body portion and defining an abutment surface for general engagement with said bearing surface, said compensator plate having a coaxial bore therethrough, said body portion and said flange comprising means for supporting said alignment compensator on said backplate for limited angular movement about axes extending in directions generally normal to the axis of said compensator plate, a hub coaxially journalled in said bore, and means for rotating said hub in response to movement of said operating member in at least one direction.
 11. The combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said backplate has a recess therein opening through said mounting surface, said compensator plate is received in said recess and retained therein by cooperation of said backplate and the associated face of the door when said active case is mounted thereon. 